Giving with Blessings
By Laurence Torr 7th December 2014.
God’s heart is for all men to be saved and come unto a knowledge of the truth (1Timony 2:4) Our heavenly Father wants us all to receive in this life that we are living now the fullness of that which has been made available through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ made available a life more than abundant for every believer, But it is up to us as believers to find out what has been made available and what it is that God want us to do and how we should live now we are born again of the spirit of God and how to receive what has been made available.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected
knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast
forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
God says His people are destroyed through a lack of Knowledge this knowledge is not talking about the worlds understanding of things but a Knowledge that God wants all His believing people to know and find out and to apply this knowledge of God in their daily living.
We have to remember there are two kingdoms we have a heavenly Kingdom which Jesus Christ represented while here on the earth and made known which is spiritual Kingdom and we have an earthly kingdom which we now live in. Now the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the God of the heavenly Kingdom, and the god of this earthly kingdom is satan. Let us check this out from the Scriptures.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world (satan) hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine unto them.
2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The heavenly Kingdom has certain principles and rules that if we as believers adhere to and apply in our lives we will reap genuine lasting Godly results just as in this worldly Kingdom there are principles and practices we adhere too and see benefits or not see the benefits.
There is one very big Area that Believers of today get tricked out of doing and that is the area of giving. If we are serious as believers we would take this area of giving very seriously just as we take seriously paying our bills, and earning finances. God our Father set this principle of Giving, up for our blessing and benefit and the benefit of the body of Christ.
Now we are born again we are Gods Children, sons and daughters through the accomplished works of Christ Jesus, the things that are important to God should be important to us. If we really truly want to know we should make it our business to find out what is it that God wants us to know, and to find this out we have to come back to the Holy Scripture and ask God to help us known and understand what He wants us to do today.
Now I will say this I am not after your money, which many people say about ministers who teach on this subject, I would not be a very good minister if I did not teach this subject to you, see this principle of giving is all throughout the Scriptures, in the old testament and the gospels and the new testament, this shows us that God wants us to know about giving and the heart we are to give and the benefits of giving and to do it.
The Epistles are address to the believer for today in this Grace administration, there are plenty of examples and instruction to show us God still wants us to practice this giving.
My heart in writing this is like what Paul mentions in Philippians that fruit may abound to your account, Let us look at what Paul said to the church at Philippi.
In this record Paul rejoices that the Philippi believers care of him in this area of giving had revived again, So this also shows us there was time that they did not give to Paul, so fruit could bound towards them through their giving, it show us the joy that now they gave again and what God thought of their giving.
Philippians 4:10-19Amplified Bible (AMP)
10 I was made very happy in the Lord that now you have revived your interest in my welfare after so long a time; you were indeed thinking of me, but you had no opportunity to show it.
11 Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be [a] content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.
12 I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.
13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who [b]infuses inner strength into me; I am [c]self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].
14 But it was right and commendable and noble of you to contribute for my needs and to share my difficulties with me.
15 And you Philippians yourselves well know that in the early days of the Gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church (assembly) entered into partnership with me and opened up [a debit and credit] account in giving and receiving except you only.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent [me contributions] for my needs, not only once but a second time.
17 Not that I seek or am eager for [your] gift, but I do seek and am eager for the fruit which increases to your credit [the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to your account].
18 But I have [your full payment] and more; I have everything I need and am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. [They are the] fragrant odour of an offering and sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.
19 And my God will liberally supply ([d]fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
It is interesting what Paul says in verse 14 he said it was right and commendable and noble of you to contribute to my needs, Pauls heart in verse 17 show his heart for the people in that he was eager for the fruit which increases through their giving Verse 18, Paul said there giving was fragrant odour an offering and sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.
There is great personal benefit in your giving as well as this blessing the heart of God and meeting the needs in the body of Christ. Let us look at this record below
2 Corinthians 9:10 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;
God is the one that ministers seed so you can sow and he gives bread which is your basic need for living and God multiplies the seed that He gives you to sow but you have to sow it for God to multiply it. God meets your need for basic living, and gives to you seed so you can sow everything comes from God to you. If we eat the seed that God has given us to sow, will we reap a harvest? The answer is no.
Let me it explain it in terms which you will fully understand. If a farmer had seed to sow into his land but decides to eat his seed rather than sow the seeds in His field when the time of harvest is ready will he have a crop? of course he will not, why? because he did not sow his seed. God by Paul’s mouth is showing us the same thing. in this record here.
It is interesting that God says He will not only multiply your seed sown but will also increase the fruits of your righteousness.
When we give God wants us to give with the right heart.
2 Corinthians 9:5-14 King James Version (KJV)
5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
The word bounty which is written twice in this verse 5 means blessings this gift that was going to be given was a blessing not of covetousness which means fraudulent or greediness.
this is the heart we should give with, we give with blessing we are happy to give because our hearts are right and we know that God wants us to practise this.
VERSE 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
The word sparingly in verse 6 is the word stingily and the word bountifully also means blessings. God by Pauls mouth is showing us the heart in which we give he wants us to give with a cheerful heart of blessing.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
You decide in your heart what to give. God wants you to give not grudgingly or with a heavy heart or sorrow or of necessity which means “must need too” or distress or out of a need. God want you to give with this happy and cheerful heart not because we think we have too but rather because we love God and know He is the one taking care of us and providing for us in every area.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
God is able to abound towards you so you are satisfied and are content in all things so you abound to every good work. When we give we are blessed we are not chasing around trying to get our need met because God has already met it and because we have been giving with blessing and happy heart, God takes care of us so our focus is on him and not chasing money trying to get by.
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;
14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
So we do not give out of our needs but we give with a heart of blessings with the love of God. when we give, it show our hearts to God that we are trusting Him with everything we have, which God blessed us with in the first place. We are saying to God that He is our supply not our Jobs or wages but God is the one that supplied our Jobs and blessed us with wages and the health and strength to work. We are showing God that we completely trust Him to supply.
Ministers should never look to the people to give to them just like we should not rely on our jobs or others to provide for us. We look only to God to provide for us. God is the source of all our supply the Jobs or the congregation are avenue that God can chose to bless us through, but God is the one who is supplying all of our need and abundances. He supplies every need. What ever avenue God decides to bless us through that is up to God and He works in those that believe Him. God truly want us to trust Him with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding.
God is the one that will direct your heart in where you should give, when you give where God shows you, great blessings can abound and everything and every
need can be meet with in the body of Christ also through your giving.
Through cheerfully giving not only does this supply the wants of the saints but it is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God.
well this subject of giving is a big one and I encourage you to go to the scriptures yourself and see what God has to say today to you about giving.
When we give with a happy and cheerful heart, knowing from the scriptures what God says to us today we will be eager to give for we know the importance
God has placed on giving. God is faithful and as we practise this joy of giving we can expect every need met and we will abound to every good work.
much love
Laurence x
About Author
